Monday, September 16, 2013

The Easiest Way To Stop Smoking

Smoking is the number-one cause of health issues in the United States today. Not only are millions of dollars spent on education with regard to the hazards of smoking, but the toll it takes on one's health is staggering. Giving up smoking is not easy for many people, but it does not have to be so hard either.

Making Abstinence Easy

One thing that is required for abstinence from smoking to be long term is a strong commitment to living a smoke-free life. Most people find that setting a date to stop smoking does not work very well because they tend to keep pushing the date further away. A method that does work well is ceasing the nicotine use immediately. Just commit to quitting on the same day that you make the decision to quit smoking. To help facilitate the transition, consider seeking out the assistance of support groups and/or buy yourself hard candies to satisfy the oral fixation. Remember that you will experience peaks and valleys with smoking cessation, but the stronger your commitment, the easier the process. Keep a journal of your feelings associated with nicotine abstinence and the positive aspects of not smoking.

Coping with the Desire to Smoke

The word "relapse" is used in connection with nicotine use because smoking is considered an addiction much like heroin and cocaine use. The pathology of nicotine use is the same as drug addiction because the end result can be many health issues if the addiction is not arrested early. Many modalities of treatment exist. Popular forms of treatment are medication (which carries side effects), psychotherapy, over-the-counter nicotine gum and patches. It may be prudent to stay away from activities that remind you of smoking for the first 30 days or until you feel comfortable enough to resume those activities without having the desire to smoke.

Delaying Use

One easy way to give up smoking is postponement. This method is very simple. If the craving becomes overwhelming, postpone the use of nicotine. This method encourages support from peers and family, and some communities offer smoking-cessation support groups. The more you postpone using nicotine, the less intense the cravings will be over time.

A great resource in this journey is the American Cancer Society, which offers helpful tips on live a smoke-free life.

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